Top 100 white wines of Spain

Discovering the wine region of Spain

Spain is a land of breathtaking scenery, colourful history and a Deep and Complex culture in which wine has Long played an important role. Grapes have been grown on the Iberian Peninsula since at least 3000 BC, although it wasn't until 1000 BC that viticulture really began here - a skill brought by Phoenician traders from the eastern Mediterranean. Today, Spain is home to more vineyards than any other country in the world, and its national wine production is exceeded only by France and Italy. All of Spain's seventeen administrative regions (communidades autónomas) produce wine to some degree, including the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands.

The greatest concentration of vineyards is in Castilla-La Mancha, but the finest and most famous wines come from Galicia (Rias Baixas), Catalonia (Cava and Priorat), Andalusia (Sherry), Castilla y León (Rueda, Toro and Ribera del Duero) and of course Rioja. Geography and Climate together play a fundamental role in defining the many styles of Spanish wines. From cool Green Galicia and the snowy Pyrenees in the North, through the parched Central plateau, to sunny sandy Andalusia in the South, the Spanish landscape is very varied. The country spans seven degrees of latitude (36°N to 43°N), leaving 500 miles (800 km) between its Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts.

Between these two very different coasts are various mountain ranges, each of which has a particular effect on the local landscape and climate. The Cordillera Cantábrica, for example, creates dramatic contrasts between the lush green land on its northern, Atlantic side and the Dry, dusty Castile and Leon on its southern, inland side. Among the mountain peaks and plateaus rise the rivers on which so many of Spain's vineyards depend. These are important not only as an indispensable source of water, but also because of their impact on local soils and mesoclimates.

Discover the grape variety: Petit Manseng

Petit Manseng is a white grape variety of Pyrenean origin. Its small berries have a hard, well-ventilated skin, which allows Petit Manseng to resist grey rot. On the other hand, this variety is very sensitive to noble rot, which concentrates the aromas and makes it possible to produce remarkable sweet wines with flavours of exotic fruits, grapefruit, honey, gingerbread, etc. Rich in alcohol and acidity, these wines are very well balanced and very fine. petit manseng also produces fruity dry white wines. It is also used in the AOC Béarn, Jurançon, Pacherenc-du-Vic-Bilh, Tursan...

Food and wine pairing with a white wine of Spain

white wines from the region of Spain go well with generally quite well with dishes of pork, game (deer, venison) or shellfish such as recipes of alsatian sauerkraut, duck breast with orange sauce or paella from an old spanish grandmother....

Organoleptic analysis of white wine of Spain

On the nose in the region of Spain often reveals types of flavors of earth, jasmine or papaya and sometimes also flavors of oil, yeast or lychee. In the mouth in the region of Spain is a with a nice freshness.

News from the vineyard of Spain

Decanter’s Regional Editors pick out their top wines for Decanter Fine Wine Encounter NYC

In the first part of this series, see the wines that the Decanter editorial team is most excited about tasting at the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter NYC on Saturday 18th June 2022. Amy Wislocki – Decanter Magazine Editor Cape Landing Blackwood Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River 2019 At the end of every year at Decanter, we organise a ‘Wines of the Year‘ tasting. We ask our key contributors and editorial staff to pick out the wines that most impressed them during the year just gon ...

Decanter magazine latest issue: March 2022

Inside the March 2022 issue of Decanter Magazine: FEATURES: New Spanish whites David Williams’ A to X guide to 10 key producers and wines in Spain’s developing white scene Making wine in Spain Self-confessed ‘nomadic winemaker’ Darren Smith on the irresistible allure of Spain Producer profile: Francisco Barona Driving tractors at 12, now making top Ribera del Duero. By Tim Atkin MW Vintage preview: northern Rhône 2020 Another hot year, but there is freshness and top quality to be found. Matt Wa ...

DO Terra Alta makes orange wine official

In the last board meeting of 2021 for the regulatory council of DO Terra Alta, in Catalunya, Spain, a long list of changes was approved. The most prominent was the making of a very strict certification system for wines that are 100% Garnatxa Blanca given that it’s their flagship grape variety. But perhaps the most interesting item is a bit further down the list that allows certification for a type of wines that in Catalan are called “vins brisats”. The name refers to white wine ...

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